He has been the cock of Heaven from of old: all his crowings are (taking place) at their (proper) time.

او خروس آسمان بوده ز پیش ** نعره‌های او همه در وقت خویش

On the meaning of this (Tradition), “Show unto us the things as they are (in reality)”; and on the meaning of this (saying), “If the covering were lifted, my certainty would not be increased”; and on his (the poet's) verse: “When thou regardest any one with a malign eye, thou art regarding him from the hoop (narrow circle) of thy (self-)existence.” (Hemistich): “The crooked ladder casts a crooked shadow.”

O cocks, learn crowing from him: he crows for God's sake, not for the sake of pence.

ای خروسان از وی آموزید بانگ ** بانگ بهر حق کند نه بهر دانگ

The false dawn comes and does not deceive him: the false dawn is the World with its good and evil.1975

صبح کاذب آید و نفریبدش ** صبح کاذب عالم و نیک و بدش

The worldly people had defective understandings, so that they deemed it to be the true dawn.

اهل دنیا عقل ناقص داشتند ** تا که صبح صادقش پنداشتند

The false dawn has waylaid (many) caravans which have set out in hope of the daybreak.

صبح کاذب کاروانها را زدست ** که به بوی روز بیرون آمدست

May the false dawn not be the people's guide! for it gives many caravans to the wind (of destruction).

صبح کاذب خلق را رهبر مباد ** کو دهد بس کاروانها را به باد

O thou who hast become captive to the false dawn, do not regard the true dawn also as false.

ای شده تو صبح کاذب را رهین ** صبح صادق را تو کاذب هم مبین

If thou (thyself) hast no protection (art not exempt) from hypocrisy and wickedness, wherefore shouldst thou impute the same (vices) to thy brother?1980

گر نداری از نفاق و بد امان ** از چه داری بر برادر ظن همان

The evil-doer is always thinking ill (of others): he reads his own book as referring to his neighbour.

بدگمان باشد همیشه زشت‌کار ** نامه‌ی خود خواند اندر حق یار

The wretches who have remained (sunk) in (their own) unrighteous qualities have called the prophets magicians and unrighteous;

آن خسان که در کژیها مانده‌اند ** انبیا را ساحر و کژ خوانده‌اند

And those base Amírs, (who were) forgers of falsehood, conceived this evil thought about the chamber of Ayáz,

وآن امیران خسیس قلب‌ساز ** این گمان بردند بر حجره‌ی ایاز

(Supposing) that he kept there a buried hoard and treasure. Do not look at others in the mirror of thyself!

کو دفینه دارد و گنج اندر آن ** ز آینه‌ی خود منگر اندر دیگران

The King, indeed, knew his innocence: (only) on their account was he making that investigation,1985

شاه می‌دانست خود پاکی او ** بهر ایشان کرد او آن جست و جو

Saying, “O Amír, open the door of the chamber at midnight, when he (Ayáz) will be unaware of it,

کای امیر آن حجره را بگشای در ** نیم شب که باشد او زان بی‌خبر

In order that his (secret) thoughts may come to light: afterwards it rests with me to punish him.

تا پدید آید سگالشهای او ** بعد از آن بر ماست مالشهای او

I bestow the gold and jewels upon you: of those riches I desire naught but the information (concerning them).”

مر شما را دادم آن زر و گهر ** من از آن زرها نخواهم جز خبر

Thus he spoke, while his heart was throbbing on account of the incomparable Ayáz,

این همی‌گفت و دل او می‌طپید ** از برای آن ایاز بی ندید

(Thinking), “Is it I who am uttering this (command)? How (grieved) he will be if he hear of this injustice!”1990

که منم کین بر زبانم می‌رود ** این جفاگر بشنود او چون شود

Again he says (to himself), “By the truth of his religion, (I vow) that his constancy is too great

باز می‌گوید به حق دین او ** که ازین افزون بود تمکین او

For him to be annoyed by my foul aspersion and heedless of my purpose and meaning.

کی به قذف زشت من طیره شود ** وز غرض وز سر من غافل بود

When an afflicted person has perceived the (true) interpretations (reasons) of his pain, he sees the victory: how should he be vanquished by the pain?

مبتلی چون دید تاویلات رنج ** برد بیند کی شود او مات رنج

The (true) interpreter (of suffering) is (like) the patient Ayáz, for he is contemplating the ocean of ends (ultimate consequences).

صاحب تاویل ایاز صابرست ** کو به بحر عاقبتها ناظرست

To him, as to Joseph, the interpretation of the dream of these prisoners (in the world) is evident.1995

هم‌چو یوسف خواب این زندانیان ** هست تعبیرش به پیش او عیان

How should the goodly man who is aware of the meaning of the dreams of others be ignorant of (the meaning of) his own dream?

خواب خود را چون نداند مرد خیر ** کو بود واقف ز سر خواب غیر

If I give him a hundred stabs with my sword by way of trial, the union (concord) of that loving one (with me) will not be diminished.

گر زنم صد تیغ او را ز امتحان ** کم نگردد وصلت آن مهربان

He knows I am wielding that sword against myself: I am he in reality and he is I.”

داند او که آن تیغ بر خود می‌زنم ** من ویم اندر حقیقت او منم

Setting forth the real oneness of the lover and the beloved, although they are contrary to each other from the point of view that want is the opposite of wanting nothing. So a mirror is formless and pure, and formlessness is the opposite of form, yet in reality they have a oneness with each other which is tedious to explain: a hint is enough for the wise.

From grief for a (long) separation (from Laylá) there came suddenly a sickness into the body of Majnún.

جسم مجنون را ز رنج و دوریی ** اندر آمد ناگهان رنجوریی

(Heated) by the flame of longing his blood boiled up, so that (the symptoms of) quinsy appeared in that mad (lover).2000

خون بجوش آمد ز شعله‌ی اشتیاق ** تا پدید آمد بر آن مجنون خناق

Thereupon the physician came to treat him and said, “There is no resource but to bleed him.

پس طبیب آمد بدار و کردنش ** گفت چاره نیست هیچ از رگ‌زنش

Bleeding is necessary in order to remove the blood.” (So) a skilled phlebotomist came thither,

رگ زدن باید برای دفع خون ** رگ‌زنی آمد بدانجا ذو فنون

And bandaged his arm and took the lancet (to perform the operation); (but) straightway that passionate lover cried out,

بازوش بست و گرفت آن نیش او ** بانک بر زد در زمان آن عشق‌خو

“Take thy fee and leave the bleeding! If I die, let my old body go (to the grave)!”

مزد خود بستان و ترک فصد کن ** گر بمیرم گو برو جسم کهن

“Why,” said he, “wherefore art thou afraid of this, when thou hast no fear of the lion of the jungle?2005

گفت آخر از چه می‌ترسی ازین ** چون نمی‌ترسی تو از شیر عرین

Lions and wolves and bears and onagers and (other) wild animals gather around thee by night;

شیر و گرگ و خرس و هر گور و دده ** گرد بر گرد تو شب گرد آمده

The smell of man does not come to them from thee because of the abundance of love and ecstasy in thy heart.”

می نه آیدشان ز تو بوی بشر ** ز انبهی عشق و وجد اندر جگر

Wolf and bear and lion know what love is: he that is blind to love is inferior to a dog.

گرگ و خرس و شیر داند عشق چیست ** کم ز سگ باشد که از عشق او عمیست

If the dog had not a vein of love, how should the dog of the Cave have sought (to win) the heart (of the Seven Sleepers)?

گر رگ عشقی نبودی کلب را ** کی بجستی کلب کهفی قلب را

Moreover, in the world there is (many a one) of its kind, dog-like in appearance, though it is not celebrated (like the dog of the Cave).2010

هم ز جنس او به صورت چون سگان ** گر نشد مشهور هست اندر جهان

You have not smelt (discerned) the heart in your own kind: how should you smell the heart in wolf and sheep?

بو نبردی تو دل اندر جنس خویش ** کی بری تو بوی دل از گرگ و میش

If there had not been Love, how should there have been existence? How should bread have attached itself to you and become (assimilated to) you?

گر نبودی عشق هستی کی بدی ** کی زدی نان بر تو و کی تو شدی

The bread became you: through what? Through (your) love and appetite; otherwise, how should the bread have had any access to the (vital) spirit?

نان تو شد از چه ز عشق و اشتها ** ورنه نان را کی بدی تا جان رهی

Love makes the dead bread into spirit: it makes the spirit that was perishable everlasting.

عشق نان مرده را می جان کند ** جان که فانی بود جاویدان کند

Majnún said, “I do not fear the lancet: my endurance is greater than the mountain formed of rock.2015

گفت مجنون من نمی‌ترسم ز نیش ** صبر من از کوه سنگین هست بیش

I am a vagabond: my body is not at ease without blows; I am a lover: I am always in close touch with blows.

منبلم بی‌زخم ناساید تنم ** عاشقم بر زخمها بر می‌تنم

But my (whole) being is full of Laylá: this shell is filled with the qualities of that Pearl.

لیک از لیلی وجود من پرست ** این صدف پر از صفات آن درست

I am afraid, O cupper, lest if you let my blood you suddenly inflict a wound with your lancet upon Laylá.

ترسم ای فصاد گر فصدم کنی ** نیش را ناگاه بر لیلی زنی

The (man of) reason whose heart is enlightened knows that between Laylá and me there is no difference.”

داند آن عقلی که او دل‌روشنیست ** در میان لیلی و من فرق نیست

A beloved asked her lover, “Do you love yourself more or me?” He replied, “I am dead to myself and living by thee; I have become non-existent to myself and my own attributes and existent through thee; I have forgotten my own knowledge and have become knowing through thy knowledge; I have lost all thought of my own power and have become powerful through thy power. If I love myself, I must have loved thee, and if I love thee, I must have loved myself.” (Verse): “Whoever possesses the mirror of clairvoyance sees God (even) though he see himself.” (God said to Báyazíd): “Go forth with My attributes to My creatures. Whoso shall see thee shall see Me and whoso shall betake himself unto thee shall betake himself unto Me”; and so on.